Former Albion Rovers chairman Ronnie Boyd almost had to watch Ross Stewart slip through his fingers - but he'll be delighted to be cheering him on in Scotland colours.
The Sunderland striker only left the current League Two club in the summer of 2017, but has capped off his fast rise up the football ladder with a national team call-up.
Rovers signed Stewart from junior side Kilwinning Rangers in 2016 and his form earned him a move to St Mirren a year later.
He's netted 22 goals for Sunderland in English League One this year and Scotland have come calling as he hits the form of his life.
Boyd says it was a joy to have the striker in Coatbridge, even for a short while, as he was always destined for bigger things.
Albion Rovers' ex-chairman said: "In six or seven years he has done really well for himself. It's all well-deserved. He came to us from junior football and made the transition.
"It doesn't always work out but the thing that impressed me was that he was very keen to learn and work hard. Anybody who is successful in football tends to have that trait, and he did.
"These are the things that stand out in my memory of Ross. His goals that season contributed a lot to us staying in League One.
"He made a significant impact in his one season at the club, and I am sure everyone at Albion Rovers, fans and everybody who worked with him that season is delighted for him."
His move to Rovers almost didn't happen though. As the Cliftonhill side sought to bring him to Coatbridge, they couldn't afford the transfer fee Kilwinning Rangers wanted.
Stewart's family stepped in as the League One club at the time were told to cough up £1,500. £500 was handed to Rovers and the rest is history.
Boyd explained: "We couldn't afford the transfer fee for him! His family paid half the transfer fee. It wasn't a lot but we didn't have the money for it.
"That was tremendous. They had a good supportive family network around him. They put around half of that up and the Rovers supporters helped with the rest of it.
"His family were keen for him to get into league football and he's not looked back."
Boyd now hopes he can make an impact on the international stage: "To have someone who played at Albion Rovers almost five years ago make this step is tremendous.
"We saw the potential in him, but I don't think anybody thought he would go on to play for Scotland. We did know he was going to a higher level.
"He was somebody who was going to take his chance. We handed him his chance in the SPFL and hopefully he now has a good and long Scotland career."
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